So-called “nuclear” verdicts did not subside in 2025. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
According to a new report from strategic communications and research firm Marathon Strategies, there were nearly 200 verdicts resulting in an award of at least $10 million in 2025. Verdicts like this against corporate defendants have come to be known as nuclear verdicts, and the total from 2025—a 40.7% increase over 2024—is the highest Marathon has seen since 2009.
The total sum of the identified nuclear verdicts was about $25.6 billion, Marathon said, with 40 cases reaching what the firm described as “thermonuclear” level, or verdicts of $100 million or more. Four verdicts eclipsed $1 billion.
“While many factors have influenced this growth, Marathon’s research identified corporate mistrust, social pessimism, erosion of tort reform, and public desensitization to large numbers as among the most important,” Marathon said in the 42-page report, adding that more Millennials and Gen Z people are showing up juries. The firm said Millennials have proved to be pro-plaintiff, prioritize ethics, and are less trusting of companies.
2025 included the first ever federal nuclear verdict against a marijuana company, another from an antitrust case from basketball great Michael Jordan against NASCAR, and a $40 million RICO award against an internet troll posing as a government spy, Marathon observed.
Overall, 68 industries were affected by a nuclear verdict in 2026 compared with 55 in 2024 and 48 in 2023. Among the most familiar with nuclear verdicts are beverage companies, pharmaceuticals, auto manufacturers, hotels and restaurants, agricultural chemical manufacturers, banks, and oil and gas. Insurance had five nuclear verdicts for a sum of $390 million.
Product liability cases resulted in 29 nuclear verdicts totaling $12 billion in 2025. Trade-secret disputes, intellectual-property cases, and workplace negligence also had a large share of nuclear cases. New possible areas of risk are emerging such as PFAS, AI liability, deepfakes, and climate attribution, among others.
Marathon said eight states in 2025 enacted tort reform laws, including establishing caps and increasing disclosure for third-party litigation funders. Those eight states were Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. Texas, California, Florida, and Maryland ranked highest for nuclear verdicts.
Florida’s tort reform in 2023 did result in a drop-off in 2024, to 10th in nuclear verdicts. However, the Sunshine State returned to nuclear-verdict prominence in 2025 with a total of $2.5 billion in nuclear verdicts.
“These developments suggest that while a state can change rules in the courtroom, the court of public opinion is another matter entirely,” Marathon said.
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